This invention relates to a transfer gear transmission through which torque is transmitted to one or two driven shafts.
Transfer gear assemblies of the foregoing type are generally utilized in automotive vehicle installations for selective two-wheel or four-wheel drive. Often, any shift between such two-wheel and four-wheel drive operations requires momentary slow down or stopping of the vehicle in order to interrupt torque transmission during the shift. Further, additional supplemental gearing is required in order to provide for more than one speed ratio between the input and driven shafts of the transfer gear assembly.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a transfer gear assembly capable of shifting between drive of one and two driven shafts and at plural speed ratios for each driven shaft without auxiliary gearing and without interruption in torque transmission.